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Aircraft Control Surfaces and
Components
© 2011 Project Lead The Way, Inc.Aerospace Engineering
Aircraft Components and Control
• Aircraft range from simple home-built
machines to complex fighter jets
• All aircraft have common structural and
control components that allow for
controlled flight
Aircraft Components
Five typical components
Empennage
Fuselage
Wing
Landing
Gear
Power Plant
Empennage and Wing Components
Elevator
Empennage and Wing Components
Elevator
Rudder
Vertical Stabilizer
Horizontal Stabilizer
Flaps
Ailerons
Horizontal Stabilizer
Elevator
Empennage
Rudder
Vertical Stabilizer
Horizontal Stabilizer
Trim Tab
Elevator Trim Tab
Aircraft Components
Aircraft Components
Empennage
Fuselage
Aileron
Elevator
Rudder
Vertical Stabilizer
Horizontal Stabilizer
Wing
Flaps
Power Plant
Cockpit
Aircraft Components
Empennage
Fuselage
Elevator
and
Horizontal
Stabilizer
Rudder and
Vertical Stabilizer
Wing
Power Plant
Cockpit
Ailerons
Flaps
Fuselage
Wing
Wing StrutRibs Spar
Winglet
Center of Gravity
Center of Gravity (CG) is point where
weight of object is balanced
Centroid located on
the line of symmetry
Centroid of object with multiple lines of symmetry
is located at intersection of lines of symmetry
Stability
• Aircraft with positive stability returns to
steady flight after disturbance
Stability
• Aircraft with positive stability returns to
steady flight after disturbance
• Maneuverability is an indication of an
aircraft’s ability to handle the stress of
maneuvers
• Controllability is an indication of an
aircraft’s ability to react to pilot inputs
Aircraft Attitude
• Aircraft have three axes of flight which
intersect at the center of gravity
Longitudinal
Axis
Lateral
Axis
Vertical
Axis
Aircraft Attitude
• Aircraft have three axes of flight which
intersect at the center of gravity
• Aircraft must be stable around these three
axes for controlled flight
Center of
Pressure
Center of
Gravity
Aircraft Attitude
• Aircraft have three axes of flight which
intersect at the center of gravity
• Aircraft must be stable around these three
axes for controlled flight
• Aircraft must be controlled to rotate around
these three axes to change direction
Center of
Pressure
Center of
Gravity
Longitudinal
Axis
Lateral
Axis
Vertical
Axis
Aircraft Stability and Movement
Around Three Axes of Flight
RollPitch
Yaw
Aircraft Roll Stability and Control
To turn left, the
aircraft must roll left.
Right wing must raise
and left wing must
descend.
Right aileron is
lowered and left
aileron is raised.
Longitudinal
Axis
Aircraft Roll Stability and Control
To turn left, the
aircraft must roll left.
Right wing must raise
and left wing must
descend.
Right aileron is
lowered and left
aileron is raised.
Longitudinal
Axis
Flight Controls that Cause Ailerons
and Flaps to MoveYoke rotated
left
Left aileron raises
Right aileron lowers
Left and right
flaps lower
Flaps lever lowered
Aircraft Pitch Stability and ControlLateral
Axis
Pitch Down
Push the yoke
forward
To descend, the pilot
reduces power and lowers
the elevator to pitch down
Lower the elevator
Aircraft Yaw Stability and Control
Vertical
Axis
Yaw Left
Push left pedal
away from you.
To yaw the aircraft
nose left, the
rudder must
deflect left.
Aircraft Motion and ControlAxis Motion Stabilized by Control Pilot Control
Longitudinal Roll Wings Aileron Yoke twist left
or right
Lateral Pitch Horizontal
stabilizer
Elevator Yoke forward
or aft
Vertical Yaw Vertical
stabilizer
Rudder Rudder pedals
Longitudinal
Axis
Lateral
Axis
Vertical
Axis
Roll Pitch
Yaw
Why Do Airplane Designs Differ?
The differences more than aesthetic
Consider how a design affects lift
and drag and other characteristics
Wing Vertical Location
High Wing
Mid Wing
Low Wing
How will the wing location affect aircraft performance?
• High wing generates the most lift of the three wing locations
because airflow is continuous with minimal interruption
• Improved pilot downward visibility without wing obstruction
• Center of gravity is high
• Pusher engine avoids introducing turbulence over wing
High Wing
Mid Wing
• Mid wing generates the least lift of the three wing locations
Low Wing
• Low wing generates lift as a median of three wing locations
because airflow is almost continuous with some interruption
• Increased ground effect increases lift during takeoff and
landing because the wing airflow acts against the ground
• Limited pilot downward visibility because of wing obstruction
Wing Configuration
Biplane
Canard Wings
How will the wing configuration affect aircraft performance?
Multiple Wings – Biplane
• Increased wing area generates more lift
• Increased wing area generates more drag
Canard Wings
• Canard wings provides major wing surface area well
forward of the center of gravity
• Center of gravity being farther rearward improves pitch
control
Vertical Stabilizer
Twin vertical stabilizers
Triple vertical stabilizers
How will the vertical stabilizer affect aircraft performance?
V-Tail
Twin Vertical Stabilizers
• Two vertical stabilizers improve yaw control
Triple Vertical Stabilizers
• Three vertical stabilizers improve yaw control
• Could be needed to compensate for the limitation of other
features
V-Tail
• Early versions of the design made it difficult for a pilot to
control yaw
• Note the relative percentage of wing that is flap versus
aileron.
Power Plant
Tractor power plant
Pusher power plant
How will the power plant affect aircraft performance?
Variable direction power plant
Tractor Power PlantEngine Propeller
Pusher Power PlantEngine Propeller
Variable Direction Power PlantExhaust smoke from
vertical thrust
Landing Gear
Oleo Strut
Floats
How will the landing gear affect aircraft performance?
Tail dragger
Tricycle
Landing Gear – Oleo Strut
Brakes
Tire
Rim
Oleo strut
Axle
Landing Gear – Floats
Conventional Gear vs. Tail-Dragger
Main Gear
(2 wheels)
Tail Wheel
Tricycle Gear
Main Gear
(2 wheels)Nose Wheel
Rough field
How will the landing gear affect aircraft performance?
Specialized Landing Gear
Soft field
Rough Field Landing Gear
• Rough field landing gear has smaller wheels to allow large
shock absorbers
• Large shock absorbers
• Absorb impact of a rough terrain
• Propeller is above tall grass
Soft Field Landing Gear
• Soft field landing gear has large wheels to minimize sinking
into terrain
Fuselage size
How will the aircraft size affect aircraft performance?
Aircraft Size and Shape
Engine size
Specialized configuration
Aircraft Size
Lockheed C-5 Galaxy
Aircraft Size
Aircraft Size
Boeing 777 Engine Intake
Specialty Aircraft
Simple instrument panel
How will the instrument panel affect aircraft performance?
Instrument Panel
General aviation instrument panel
General aviation instrument panel
References
Jeppesen (2007). Private pilot: Guided flight discovery.
Englewood, CO: Jeppesen.
Jeppesen Sanderson, Inc. (2006). Guided flight discovery
private pilot images [CD-ROM]. Englewood, CO:
Jeppesen Sanderson, Inc.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (2009).
Airplane parts definitions. Retrieved from
http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K-
12/airplane/airplane.html
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (2009).
Wilber and Or. Retrieved from
http://grin.hq.nasa.gov/IMAGES/SMALL/GPN-2002-
000126.jpg
References
Chapple G. (Photographer). (2012). Shuttle 1. [Photo].
Lockheed Martin (2010). C-5M first flight-3a. Retrieved
from
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lockheedmartin/357061040
6/in/set-72157618866063402
Lockheed Martin (2010). F-35 Lightning II. Retrieved from
http://www.lockheedmartin.com/products/f35/
Lockheed Martin (2010). Lockheed Martin C-130 in flight.
Retrieved from
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lockheedmartin/976461432/
Meyer, A. (2010). X-Plane (Version 9.21rc2) [Computer
software]. Columbia, SC: Laminar Research.
References
Senson, Ben. (2010). Madison Memorial High School,
Wisconsin.
